Adverbs

1. Definition
An adverb is a word that can modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. The main function
of an adverb is to give more information about a verb.
Example: Soon Roxie will rise. She is an unusually deep sleeper. She can sleep almost
anywhere.

Adverb modifies a verb: Walk quickly (modifying the verb walk with the adverb quickly
means that we know that we are concentrating on walking quickly and that we can forget
about walking in any other way.)
 An adverb can come before or after the verb it modifies or in between the parts of a
verb.
Adverb modifies an adjective: gravely ill
Adverb modifies other adverb: extremely suddenly
 An adverb that modifies an adjective or other adverb comes before the words it
modifies.
Adverb modifies a preposition: just after dinner
Adverb modifies a conjunction: exactly what he said

 An adverb is usually a single word. When a group of words performs the same
function as an adverb it is known as an adverbial phrase/clause. Single-word adverbs,
adverbial phrases, and adverbial clauses are sometimes grouped together under the
umbrella term adverbials.

2. Types of Adverbs

There are various types of adverb—adverbs of time, frequency, duration, place, manner
and degree, as well as interrogative adverbs.

Category of Function Examples of Adverb Example sentence

Adverb
Adverbs of time indicate when now, I’ll see you soon.
something has tomorrow, They haven’t seen him
happened yesterday, lately.
still, yet, later It was her birthday
Afterwards, then, today.
before
Adverbs of indicate how always, We rarely meet these
frequency frequently something usually, days.
happens sometimes, He never drinks alcohol.
often, rarely, She is forever criticizing
daily, weekly, monthly him.
Adverbs of indicate how long overnight, She is living with her
duration something lasts or always, grandmother
occurs briefly temporarily.
He has been suspended
from his job indefinitely.
I haven’t known her
 Adverbs

long.
Adverbs of place indicate where north, He has gone overseas.
something happens everywhere,
or takes place here, there, They are travelling
forward, alongside northward.
downward, up, nearby
uphill, behind We waded ashore.
Adverbs of Describe how beautifully, She was neatly dressed.
manner something wonderfully,
happens or how slowly, He smiled vaguely.
someone deliberately,
does something happily They spoke eloquently.
Adverbs of degree indicate the degree fairly, moderately, I enjoyed the film
to which an action is remarkably, immensely.
performed very, partly, hugely, Her father was a
almost, largely, supremely successful
unbelievably businessman
Adverbs of A small group of absolutely, We totally disagree with
emphasis adverbs of degree entirely, you.
are known as really, I was utterly devastated
adverbs of emphasis. utterly, by the news.
These are formed positively
from emphatic I quite agree
adjectives
Interrogative the wh- words when, where, how and When did you last see
adverbs which are used to why. him?
ask wh- questions Where was the money
hidden?
How are you feeling?
Adverbs of Describe why therefore, We’ve never seen such
purpose something thus, high numbers. We must
happens. consequently, therefore conclude that
(conjunctive hence the results are not normal
adverbs.)
Conjunctive Used to connect comparatively,
Adverbs independent therefore, Jen is terrible at math;
clauses and describe also, however, however, she still likes
the relationship moreover, it.
between them. similarly

3. Formation of Adverbs
 Like the other word classes, many adverbs have no suffixes. These include, in
particular, most time adverbs (now, today, yesterday, tomorrow) and space adverbs
(here, there, outside, inside)
 The suffix -ly is commonly added to adjectives to make adverbs: calmly, frankly,
lightly, madly, quietly, tearfully.
 Adverbs

 Some adjectives ending in ed have no adverb form. The woman stared in astonishment,
NOT astonishedly. But those ending in ted can take an ly ending. The crowd shouted
excitedly.

If the adjective ends in -ic, the suffix is usually -ically: economically, geographically,
heroically, romantically.

 The suffix -wise is added to nouns to make adverbs: clockwise, lengthwise,

moneywise, weatherwise.
 Some adverbs have the same form as adjectives.
Adjective Adverb
Louise caught the fast train. The train was going quite fast.
We didn't have a long wait. We didn't have to wait long.

4. Comparing with Adverbs

Like adjectives, adverbs are typically gradable. Adverbs in their basic forms are sometimes
known as being in the positive degree.

Comparative adverbs express a higher (or lower) degree of how a verb’s action is performed,
usually in comparison to another person or thing. They are generally formed by adding the
suffix “-er.”

Superlative adverbs, on the other hand, are used to identify the highest (or lowest) degree of
how an action is performed. They are generally formed by adding the suffix “-est.”

Positive is the basic Comparative compares Superlative compares three or

form of an adverb. two things. Add -er. Use more things. Add -est. Use
more for longer adverbs most for longer adverbs.
soon sooner soonest
late later latest
neatly more neatly most neatly
swiftly more swiftly most swiftly

 The following adverbs have irregular inflections; the first three are identical with those
for adjectives:

well better best

badly worse worst
far farther/further farthest/furthest
little less least
much more most
5. Adverb Phrase/Clause
 An adverb phrase, also called an adverbial phrase or an adverbial, is a group of related
words in which the main word is an adverb and which functions like an adverb in a
sentence or clause.
 Adverbs
Adverb phrase can be adverbs modified by other adverbs, adverbial prepositional phrases, or
adverbial infinitive phrases:

 Adverbial phrases are commonly formed when an adverb’s intensity is being modified
by another adverb which decreases or increases the intensity of the main adverb.
For example: The kicker is running somewhat slowly back to the bench. He might be injured.
She performed very well on her exam.

 Prepositional phrases are often used adverbially in a sentence.

For example: We were playing Frisbee at the park.
After they woke up, they packed up their things and went on a hike.

 We can also use infinitive phrases as adverbial phrases in a sentence to describe

purpose or reason for an action or state of being.
For instance: Patricia went to the mountains to go for a hike.
I’m so happy to be your friend.
 An adverbial clause, or adverb clause, is a group of words that contains a subject and a
predicate verb and is used, like a regular adverb, to modify adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.

Example: She left for the airport when it became light.

Example: We need to leave before the traffic gets bad.
Example: Wherever we went we saw signs of terrible poverty.
Example: We started on our journey very early so that we could avoid the city rush
hour.
Example: I couldn’t go to the wedding because I had to work that day.
Example: She spoke very quickly so that we could scarcely understand her
instructions.
Example: We will miss the plane unless we leave for the airport now.
Example: He talks as if he knows a lot about the subject.
Example: Whilst he works very hard, he doesn’t really achieve anything.
6. Order of Adverbs
Adverbs can appear almost anywhere in a sentence. If we use more than one adverb to
describe a verb, the different categories of adverbs should be ordered as follows:

1. Adverbs of Manner
2. Adverbs of Place
3. Adverbs of Frequency
4. Adverbs of Time
5. Adverbs of Purpose